Dzhemilev: 67 people in custody for non-recognition of occupation

Most of them are the Crimean Tatars

ANKARA (QHA) -

Occupiers in the Crimea illegally keep in custody 67 people. They were arrested for not agreeing with the occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula, the leader of the Crimean Tatar people, People's Deputy of Ukraine Mustafa Dzhemilev made a corresponding stated in an interview with QHA.

“To date, 67 people are in custody. All of them were groundlessly detained, their "crime" is that they do not agree with the occupation. Most of them are Crimean Tatars. If Crimean Tatars make up 13% of the total population of the Crimea, then of those who are illegally detained and imprisoned, Crimean Tatars are more than half - about three-quarters. Why is that? Because the Crimean Tatars are resisting the invaders most of all. Of course, they have children, their families are in a difficult situation, and we help in all possible ways. As the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, we announced that the children of those who were arrested in the Crimea by the occupation regime will be considered children of the Crimean Tatar people, regardless of nationality and religion, and they will be assisted to the extent possible. To date, there are more than 100 children whose fathers are imprisoned. Each month, each child is paid assistance in the amount of 5000 rubles (about $ 100). In Crimea, the organization is run by well-known journalists Lily Budzhurova and Elzara Islyamova. Despite pressure, they continue to help children of political prisoners. Moreover, entrepreneurs, ordinary citizens help as well. In the mainland of Ukraine, in Kyiv, also, the assistance is collected. Not only the Crimean Tatars, but representatives of other nationalities help as well," he said.

Dzhemilev noted that many people in the Crimea are unjustly fined, and not only the inhabitants of the peninsula are actively involved in raising funds for their payment, but also the whole of Ukraine, Turkey and the United States.

“If more than 5-6 people gather in one place, they are fined for "unauthorized rally". Even the participants in one-person pickets are fined, although it is allowed to conduct such events under Russian laws, but it is impossible in the Crimea. They impose a fine in the amount of 10,000-15,000 rubles, which is the monthly salary of a person, if this money is given away to pay a fine, the family will remain without bread. The people are also collecting assistance to pay off these fines," he said.

The leader of the Crimean-Tatar people reminded that a campaign called Crimean Marathon is held in support of political prisoners and civil activists on the peninsula.

“Last year in August a girl named Zarema commented on Putin's speech. During his speech, while talking about the occupation, he said: "The soldiers put women and children in front of them and let the Ukrainian military try to open fire." The girl, commenting on Facebook, said that Russians and Crimean Tatars have a very different mentality, and she cannot even imagine that the Crimean Tatars in the war sent women and children before them. Accusing her of fomenting ethnic hatred, they initiated the case, intended to arrest her, but after the incident spread in the media, she was fined 300 thousand rubles, about $ 5,000. This child has not seen so much money in her life, where she is supposed to find them to pay a fine. After that, the people began to collect money, but collected ten-ruble coins. Yes, of course, there were those who gave also 100 and 500 rubles, but these amounts were later exchanged into ten-ruble coins. After 2 weeks, the fine was paid, bringing to the cash register 149-kilogram bags. The people liked it very much and now everyone who is fined is assisted in the same way with 10-ruble coins," he said.

Earlier, Dzhemilev stated that the election of the Russian president in the occupied Crimea is illegal, which means that Putin is illegally elected president.